--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From being a writer of plays, it was not…" description: "\"From being a writer of plays, it was not that surprising that somebody thought of giving me a job as an actor. After I played one part, others came alo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06f/wallace-shawn-7437_actor_from-being-a-writer-of-plays-it-was-not_189651.jpg" --- # From being a writer of plays, it was not that surprising… ![“From being a writer of plays, it was not that surprising that somebody thought of giving me a job as an actor. After I played one part, others came along.” quote by Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06f/wallace-shawn-7437_actor_from-being-a-writer-of-plays-it-was-not_189651.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06f/wallace-shawn-7437_actor_from-being-a-writer-of-plays-it-was-not_189651.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/06f/wallace-shawn-7437_actor_from-being-a-writer-of-plays-it-was-not_189651.jpg) > “From being a writer of plays, it was not that surprising that somebody thought of giving me a job as an actor. After I played one part, others came along.” [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes that acting opportunities naturally followed his playwriting, leading to a career shift. **In simple terms:** Playwriting led to acting jobs. Key Takeaway Leverage existing skills to explore new roles. Themes career transition creativity opportunity Mood inspirational pragmatic Type career creative When to use this quote - theater - film industry - career change - skill development Key Concepts skill transfer networking Questions to Reflect On - How can you prepare for unexpected career paths? - What skills are most transferable? A Different Perspective Acting may typetype type and limit creative freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I don't know if I'm a writer who plays poker or a poker player who writes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-coren-mitchell/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-a-writer-who-plays-poker-or-a-poker-player-who/) [Victoria Coren Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-coren-mitchell/) > [“Your whole duty as a writer is to please and satisfy yourself, and the true writer always plays to an audience of one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-whole-duty-as-a-writer-is-to-please-and-satisfy-yourself-and-the-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Your whole duty as a writer is to please and satisfy yourself, and the true writer always plays to an audience of one. Start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white-2/your-whole-duty-as-a-writer-is-to-please-and-satisfy-yourself-and-the/) [E.B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white-2/) > [The whole duty of a writer is to please and satisfy himself, and the true writer always plays to an audience of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-b-white/the-whole-duty-of-a-writer-is-to-please-and-satisfy-himself-and-the/) [E. B. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-b-white/) > [My favorite actor who played villains - who could play anything, really - was Jimmy Cagney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-mcdowell/my-favorite-actor-who-played-villains-who-could-play-anything-really/) [Malcolm McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-mcdowell/) > [As a young actor, I played a lot of 'exotic' parts and was stuck with the tag 'sultry.' I had to refuse such parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-quick/as-a-young-actor-i-played-a-lot-of-exotic-parts-and-was-stuck-with/) [Diana Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-quick/) > [I've always been a huge fan of fantasy and adventure, putting yourself in someone else's shoes, I'm sure that's why I'm an actor. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-ve-always-been-a-huge-fan-of-fantasy-and-adventure-putting-yourself/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [The part an actor played on stage was once written on a separate roll of paper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talcott-parsons/the-part-an-actor-played-on-stage-was-once-written-on-a-separate-roll/) [Talcott Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talcott-parsons/) > [Johnny Depp will always be my crush. Besides the fact that he's an amazing actor and has never played the same character twice, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cavallari/johnny-depp-will-always-be-my-crush-besides-the-fact-that-he-s-an/) [Kristin Cavallari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cavallari/) > [It is surprising how many professional athletes, along with their families and friends, are gaga over movie and music stars, and the reverse is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheech-marin/it-is-surprising-how-many-professional-athletes-along-with-their/) [Cheech Marin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheech-marin/) > [My job, as an actor, is to entertain people. My contribution to society is to be a respite from everyday life. People go home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-patton/my-job-as-an-actor-is-to-entertain-people-my-contribution-to-society/) [Paula Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-patton/) > [Sometimes I hate the job that I do as an actor. I feel like I'm just of no importance in the world, but sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/sometimes-i-hate-the-job-that-i-do-as-an-actor-i-feel-like-i-m-just/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [For me, once you do a job as an actor then it's the director, producer and editor's job to decide what is best for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackky-bhagnani/for-me-once-you-do-a-job-as-an-actor-then-it-s-the-director-producer/) [Jackky Bhagnani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackky-bhagnani/) > [When you have to cast movies from a producer's standpoint - when you've been on the other side of casting sessions - you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-minghella/when-you-have-to-cast-movies-from-a-producer-s-standpoint-when-you-ve/) [Max Minghella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-minghella/) > [Some people suggested that I should try something else. It was a lot of things, but nothing really stood out for me. Nothing felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-kim/some-people-suggested-that-i-should-try-something-else-it-was-a-lot/) [Claudia Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-kim/) ## More by Wallace Shawn > [Acting is an escape from the boring person that I am in real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/acting-is-an-escape-from-the-boring-person-that-i-am-in-real-life/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [You can go to a play that is enjoyable because it's funny, and then on the next night you can go to a play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/you-can-go-to-a-play-that-is-enjoyable-because-it-s-funny-and-then-on/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [The actor's role in the community is quite unlike anyone else's. Businessmen, for example, don't take their clothes off or cry in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/the-actor-s-role-in-the-community-is-quite-unlike-anyone-else-s/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I have more free time than a lot of individuals, so, instead of talking, I sometimes write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-have-more-free-time-than-a-lot-of-individuals-so-instead-of-talking/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [My personal life is lived as 'me,' but my professional life is lived as other people. In other words, when I go to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/my-personal-life-is-lived-as-me-but-my-professional-life-is-lived-as/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [There's nothing regular about my life at all, really. I don't keep a regular schedule and every day is different. It's all rather chaotic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/there-s-nothing-regular-about-my-life-at-all-really-i-don-t-keep-a/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I am recognized a lot for 'Clueless,' but I am recognized a great deal for 'The Princess Bride.' I don't know... maybe everybody who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-am-recognized-a-lot-for-clueless-but-i-am-recognized-a-great-deal/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [Sleep: a poor substitute for caffeine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/sleep-a-poor-substitute-for-caffeine/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I'm a very lucky man. It's a beautiful thing for a writer, to see people allowing your words to enter their own unconscious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-m-a-very-lucky-man-it-s-a-beautiful-thing-for-a-writer-to-see/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [And my singing, I don't think I could sing Wagner or opera, but I could probably carry a tune. I was in a musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/and-my-singing-i-don-t-think-i-could-sing-wagner-or-opera-but-i-could/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I think I'm trying to write truthfully about life, and naturalism, or the way people normally talk in movies, is a convention. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-think-i-m-trying-to-write-truthfully-about-life-and-naturalism-or/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [I'm trying to write truthfully about life, and naturalism, or the way people normally talk in movies, is a convention. The way I write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/i-m-trying-to-write-truthfully-about-life-and-naturalism-or-the-way/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [When I was first starting to write plays, I quite literally had never heard of the idea of studying playwriting. I wouldn't have studied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/when-i-was-first-starting-to-write-plays-i-quite-literally-had-never/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [When I was a child, I did always feel that people were hiding things, and that they weren't expressing their true feelings. When adults…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/when-i-was-a-child-i-did-always-feel-that-people-were-hiding-things/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) > [Even with my wife, I find sharing soup is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/even-with-my-wife-i-find-sharing-soup-is-hard/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) [Explore all 91 Wallace Shawn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! 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